My Frozen Wasteland
by Lionwings
Summary: The mantle of Champion is a heavy one. Red-Centric.


**A/N: I know this is a little overdone, but I really enjoy Red on the Mountain Fics. This is basically like the other one I posted, but with slightly darker themes and no random romance at the end. I really hope the single person who will probably read this likes it, and I really hope for some sort of review (I'm counting on you, only person who will read this even though I don't know who you are!). Oh, and I think it'd be good to tell you that, before it got stolen, my flashdrive had an entire folder dedicated to Red, they were called Mt. Silver fics. So I hope you enjoy Mt. Silver Fic #2.**

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My Frozen Wasteland

The falling snow on the top of the mountain was always peaceful. The mountain top was without population. Nothing else lived up there with him. The calls of the Pokémon would come from the cave at the edge of the cliff every once in a while, but he would never see any of them outside in the snow.

He had been atop the mountain for about four years. The people he had once loved and cherished probably thought he was dead, but he couldn't bring himself to care. He rid himself of emotions during the first year he was on the mountain. The world beneath his feet would morn him, but none of them really knew him. He was famous. He was revered. He was a Champion.

He had once become the champion of the Kanto League and surpassed everyone, even his greatest rival. After he had become a legend, he was asked to stay at the Indigo Plateau and challenge those who fought their way through the Elite Four. He stayed as the Champion for about a year, but started to notice that the people around him were changing.

The changes were subtle at first. People would gaze at him, or stare at him as he walked down the street. Some would even go out of their way to ask him for an autograph. He didn't really mind at the time. He was famous, people were supposed to act differently around you.

Then the changes started getting more drastic. Girls would squeal his name and chase him down the street. Guys would jump out of their seats and demand a battle. People started following him in gigantic groups and there would always be a constant barrage of flashes from the paparazzi that was always at his heels.

His friends began to change too after a while. Many would ask him to come to a small get together and it would turn out to be a raging party with well over a hundred people who had only come to see him. His "Friends" also started jumping for the limelight, and would often use his popularity and the ever constant camera crew to get their names out there.

Some of them would even spread unflattering rumors and tell fake childhood memories just for a quick buck. The true friends that stood by Red were disgusted by the people who were friends with Red for the fame and started threatening to contest them in court. But Red was frustrated with the way things had become. He didn't want or need the drama of being famous.

On top of that, his mentor, the famous dragon tamer Lance, was teaching him how to be champion. He would speak of having no mercy on the opponent, crushing their spirit and leaving them weak. Lance wanted him to destroy not only Pokémon, but the will of their opponent. Red knew that the training was wrong, but he couldn't do anything about it. He was expected to act like that, and he couldn't deal with it anymore.

So, one night, he slipped out of the house with a small pack on his back and his pokéballs attached to his belt. Pikachu was crying on his shoulder as he walked away from his only home. Pallet Town was peaceful under the night lit sky and the glow of the full moon. It tore at his heartstrings to leave it forever. He remembered that first time that he left Pallet Town for his journey; he had felt the exact same heartbreak. But this time, he wouldn't be coming back.

He had made sure to research the mountain copiously before he even thought of leaving his home. He had to find a place that was devoid of humans, but was still close enough to a Pokémon Center so that he could heal his team mates if need be. Mount Silver was the best choice he could find because of the Pokémon Center at the base of the mountain and the powerful Pokémon inside the mountain that repelled most trainers from going into the higher levels.

On his way to Mount Silver, he remembered seeing some trainers standing around the route, but mainly ignored them and their protests of wanting to battle. He couldn't blame them, if he had to stay in the same spot for an extended period of time, he would want to battle too. When he finally reached the Mountain, he stopped quickly at the Pokémon Center to heal his team. The Nurse Joy that was stationed there accepted the pokéballs with a small smile and had him wait in the lobby for a few minutes while his team was being healed. She called him a moment later and, while looking down at some paperwork, told him to be careful while going up the mountain. He nodded his head and left shortly after he received his pokéballs.

Once he left the Pokémon Center, he started to travel up the tall mountain and, eventually, reached the peak. The peak was frigid, lifeless, and absolutely silent. The snow was pounding down around him and there was a small path that lead to a cave that he could live in. He was happy with his surroundings and spent his years training on the mountain top; the only human interaction he had was when he traveled down the mountain to the Pokémon Center and saw the solitary Nurse Joy that lived there, but that was only every once in a while.

He began to love the silence and the peace. He loved the timelessness of the snowy mountaintop. He loved every feature of the mountain, but, as he reflected, realized that he didn't understand all the features of people. He couldn't understand them like he could Pokémon. Every human was different, much as Pokémon were, but humans added in a factor that wasn't normally seen with Pokémon. Humans were always looking for power. He had once been looking for power, fame, and glory, but after his time on the mountain, realized that they were hollow desires.

Then someone finally found him. He could hear his ears buzzing and feel his heart clench as the crunch of snow far off from his perch on the tip of the cliff. He didn't dare turn around. He was found and there was no place for him to go. He peered over the edge of the cliff and considered jumping for a moment, but decided against it. He wanted to be alone. He didn't want to die. Not yet.

He turned around to see a younger boy, of about sixteen, with a gold and blue hat put on backwards. Some of his hair was sticking out through the front of the hat, while other strands were slipping out from underneath the sides. The boy was obviously a Pokémon Trainer. He wouldn't have been able to survive the climb up the mountain or looked for Red in the first place.

Red took a deep breath and pulled off a pokéball from his belt. If the kid wanted to battle, then what was he to do? He was trained to fight. He was trained to never deny a powerful challenger. He was trained to crush their spirits. He had never lost before, and he wasn't about to stop now. He was finally where he belonged, and no one was going to change that.

The other boy smiled and withdrew his pokéball, mimicking Red's movement in agreement. The pokéballs were thrown and both flashed with white light as their inhabitants were released into the cold air. One, the famous electrical mouse with cheeks sparking with lightning, was staring down the monstrous form of its opponent. The other, a large blue and white creature with a mane of flames around its head, glared down the small Pokémon in an almost haughty way.

Red stood there and watched as the other boy stroked his Pokémon lovingly. He knew that his challenger would not be as easy as any of the others. His challenger, who had not yet given him a name stared at him with unhidden awe as the small yellow mouse made its way onto its master's shoulder.

"U-uh," The young boy stuttered. "I s-say that we b-both only use one Pokémon. I st-still need to get down the mountain after we're d-done and I wouldn't be able t-to if you kn-knock out all of my P-Pokémon."

Red nodded slightly, sensing his opponent's tension and possible hypothermia. He shrugged his shoulder and Pikachu leaped off and landed gracefully in front of him. Its red cheeks were sparking with lightning in anticipation. Red could feel his adrenaline rising as the other boy took his spot on the other side of the battle.

The battle had begun.

The war between the two powerhouses was amazing. Lightning and fire were erupting from the two Pokémon. Every move was swift and the Trainer's matched each move one by one. Pikachu was fast and made rapid movements to confuse the blue and white Pokémon, but was still vulnerable to the powerful flames that licked at the ground.

The blue and white Pokémon was slightly slower, but used a lot of power in all of its moves to counteract the swiftness of its opponent. The snow around the two titans was long since melted and each of the trainers was sweating from the heat and the intense concentration that they used to command their Pokémon.

"Typhlosion, use Fire Blast!" The challenger yelled about twenty minutes into their battle. The Pokémon were slowing down from fatigue. Typhlosion stopped in its tracks and sent a gigantic wall of fire towards the yellow mouse Pokémon. The Pikachu squealed as the fire eventually hit it and immediately fell unconscious.

Red was amazed. Someone had finally beaten him. He was free of the mantle that was set upon him. He gazed at the other boy and almost smiled as Gold jumped up and down in happiness. The Typhlosion looked as happy as his master when the teen pulled it into a hug. Red walked forwards, towards Gold, and stuck out his hand.

The boy stared for a moment before taking Red's hand. "Uh, I forgot to mention earlier, but my name is Gold."

Red nodded and pulled the other teenager into a hug. He knew that it was a shock for the other teen, but he had to convey one last message.

"Don't let the title control you."

Gold stared, utterly shocked as Rd walked away. The crimson eyed youth walked back to the edge of the cliff and, with Pikachu still on his shoulder, looked over the edge.

"I'm finally free Pikachu," Red told the Pokémon, smiling genuinely for the first time in three years. The mouse-like Pokémon squeaked happily for its master. "Are you ready for our final journey?"

The Pokémon nodded quietly before Red turned around and looked at the still paralyzed teen that was there with him.

"What do you mean?" Gold finally asked. "What do you mean, 'Don't let the title control me'?"

Red smiled sadly at the other teen and tilted his head at a small letter that was lying on the ground near Gold. Gold picked up the letter and Red closed his eyes in relief.

"Hey, isn't Green that Gym Leader?" Gold intoned confusedly as he read the front of the letter.

Red ignored him and took in a deep breath. He finally felt ready as he took a step back into the endless abyss that lay below him. He could hear Gold's shrieks echoing from far above him, but ignored the calls. He could feel Pikachu breathing deeply on his shoulder and could almost feel his other Pokémon's smiles inside of their containers. He stared at the darkness around him and noted that he was falling faster than the snow.

A thought caused him to smile for the third time that day, right before he hit the ground.

_I'm finally free._

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**A****/N 2: I hope you enjoyed the story. Sorry about the character death and the truly awful writing. I should probably just read fanfics instead of writing. Oh well. Now, if you could look below and observe the gigantic blue button that FF .net has so graciously provided. I would truly enjoy it if you (The single person reading this fic) would leave your outlook on what was so horrible about this fic. Thank you!  
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